O'Horan, Tomás Antonio (1776-1848), public official in Mexico and Guatemala, was born in present-day Guatemala, the first child of John [Juan José] O'Horan and María Gertrudis de Argüello y Monte, of Campeche. John O'Horan, son of John O'Horan (sen.) and Jane Ready, was born in Aughane, Co. Cork, and resided in the Canary Islands before heading to New Spain.

On 13 December 1817 Tomás A. O'Horan married Gertrudis Escudero de la Rocha. Their eldest son, Tomás O´Horan y Escudero (1819-1867), served as an officer against the second French invasion of 1862, but was shot by the forces of Benito Juárez in 1867. The seventh child, Agustín Jorge O'Horan y Escudero (1828-1884) graduated in 1853 from the medical school and practised in Mérida, Yucatán.

Between 1794 and 1799, Tomás Antonio O'Horan studied in the Seminario Conciliar of Campeche, where he was later appointed professor of law. Then he studied in San Ildefonso seminary at University of Mexico, where he graduated in canonical law. In 1805 O'Horan was appointed solicitor at the Royal Audience of Mexico. He served as financial auditor and law counsellor. In Veracruz Tomás A. O'Horan served as government counsellor, and he led the company of police mounted lancers and a military force against insurgents.

On 23 December 1816, O'Horan was appointed prosecutor at the Royal Audience of Guatemala, succeeding Juan Ramón de Oses. His appointment was confirmed by the king on 25 January 1817. He also acted as elected prosecutor in Santa Fe and, in 1821, and as auditor in Guatemala. In 1823-1824 Tomás A. O'Horan was a member of the triumvirate that governed the United Provinces of Central America. In 1835 he served in the Mexican senate representing Yucatán and later as magistrate in Mérida. O'Horan died on 21 August 1848 in his home province of Yucatán.

Fabián Gaspar Bustamante Olguín

References

- Diccionario Porrúa de historia, biografía y geografía de México (Mexico, 1986), Vol. 2, p. 2111.

- Erosa Barbachano, Arturo. Biografía del Dr. Agustín Jorge O'Horán Escudero (Mérida: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 2005).

Acknowledgements

I am thankful to professor Javier Barrientos for the information.